Trigger feed release



Oct. 11, 1966 P. J. RICCI TRIGGER FEED RELEASE Filed April 9, 1964 INVENTOR PETER J. RICCI United States Patent "ice 3,277,856 TRIGGER FEED RELEASE Peter J. Ricci, 40 Victory Ave., West Warwick, RI. Filed Apr. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 358,555 12 Claims. (Cl. 113-113) My present invention relates to the stamping art, and more particularly to a novel construction of a trigger feed release.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a release mechanism for roller feed devices in stamping presses which shorten the release time and ensure engagement of the stock by the feed rollers during almost the entire cycle of operation of the press.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a feed release mechanism which allows for engagement of the stock by the feed rollers during the blanking ope-ration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a trigger feed release construction which makes it possible to eliminate piercings in the stock punched for the sole purposes of picking up and positioning the stock.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a trigger feed release which reduces breakage and prevents separation of the roller gears due to over lifting.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in View my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roller feed device and trigger feed release embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the trigger feed release in its lowermost position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the trigger feed release on its up stroke.

When a strip of metal is fed .to a stamping press having a complex die, a conventional roller feed device is used which intermittently feeds the met-a1 into the die on the up stroke of the press and remains at a standstill during the down stroke and stamping operation. Complex die operations require accuracy within thousands of an inch. It is therefore customary to provide the strip of metal with punched holes. The die is also provided with pickup pins for entering these holes on the down stroke and positioning the metal in the correct location during the stamping operation. To accomplish this, the roller feed is provided with a lifting bar andthe press ram is provided with a feed release which contacts the bar on the down stroke and lifts the upper roller to relieve the roller feed pressure from the metal. This permits the metal to move sufiiciently to allow the pins to enter the opening.

On the up stroke the die sets separate, the pins are released from the openings and the feed releases the upper roller so that the roller feed mechanism again grips the metal for the next feed cycle. This system has certain disadvantages. First of all, the actual release time of the feed roller is usually much more than is necessary. Occasionally by over driving the feed release mechanism the feed release arm on the roller feed is broken. Also, if the upper roller is lifted too high, the roller gears between the upper and lower rollers tend to separate and come out from each other making the feed uncertain. Pierced holes in the article cannot be used to pick up because when the stock is stripped from the plunger it will slide back out of the tool. The pick up pins are limited in their height because of the lack of space between .the dies. The present invention increases the use of pick up pins and virtually eliminates breakage of the 3,277,356 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 roller arm. In many cases it completely eliminates the need for pick up holes because the pick up pins can be made much longer. The feed rolls are engaged most of the time and the material will not slide out of the tool. When the dies are separating on the up stroke of the ram and the pins are lifting up, the feed rollers are already engaged to hold the metal in position. This makes it possible to often eliminate piercing especially made for picking up the stock, because the pick up pins may be positioned at any part of the metal. With the present invention, the feed rollers actually engage the stock until it makes a complete turn to blank .the next piece.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, stock is usually fed to a power press by means of a conventional roller feed mechanisms 10 comprising a rectangular frame 11, a lower roller 12 mounted on a shaft 13 and an upper roller 14 mounted on a shaft 15. The ends of the shaft 15 extend into vertical slots 16 in which a heavy spring 17 is adjustably tensioned by a screw 18 for releasably holding the shaft downwardly as shown in FIG. 1. At each end of the roller 14, the shaft 15 is mounted at the end of a pivoted lever 19 connected by a tripping bar 20. The lever arms 19 extend outwardly and upwardly at an angle as illustrated in FIG. 1. Downward movement of the bar 20 and levers 19 will cause upward movement of the shaft 15 and will lift the upper roller 14 from the lower roller '12. This is standard conventional construction.

The feed release device is usually mounted on some portion of the reciprocating ram (not shown). It is designed to engage the bar 20 during the down stroke and to release it on the up stroke. In accordance with the present invention the lifting action caused by the downward stroke is reduced to an absolute minimum. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a horizontal arm 21 is bolted to a portion of the ram at 22. The outer end of of the arm 21 is forked at 23 to receive the upper end of the vertical post 24. The upper end of the post 24- is threaded at 25 and is provided with a pair of nuts 26 and 27 extending above and below the forked end 23 so that the post end 25 may be locked along the length of the forked portion 23 for proper adjustment.

Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower end of the post 24 is provided with an elongated vertical slot 28. A pawl 29 is pivotally mounted at 30 horizontally through the slot 28. The back end of the pawl 29 is provided with a large rectangular head 31 having a shoulder 32 which engages the body of the post 24 just below the slot to prevent turning movement of the pawl in a counterclockwise direction viewing FIG. 2. The upper edge of the rectangular portion 31 is provided with a tapered cut out portion 33 having an integral slanted pin 34 on which a coil spring 35 is mounted. The rear end of the slot 28 extends upwardly at this point and provides a shoulder 36 against which the free end of the spring rests. Thus the spring 35 resiliently retains the pawl in the position shown in FIG. 2 but perm-its clockwise movement of the pawl against the action of the spring. The front end of the pawl 29 is tapered to a point 37 having a slanted edge 38 at the upper end and a straight lower shoulder 39; The slot is cut out beneath the forward portion 40 to permit the tapered portion 37 to swing downwardly when the pawl is moved in clockwise direction.

Now the post 24 is positioned along the forked portion 23 of the bar 21 so that on the downward stroke of the ram the tip end 37 of the pawl will engage the bar 20 the lifting mechanism. Since the bar 20 is set above center, as it comes down it arcs away from the pawl allowing the pawl to pass by into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is during this movement that the upper roller has been lifted to release the metal. However, as soon as the pawl passes by the bar 20, it permits the bar to swing upwardly and rollers are again engaged to hold the metal. However the ram continues downwardly with the post 24. When the press ram returns upwardly the slanted surface 38 of the pawl engages the underside of the bar 20 and pivots clockwise against the action of the spring 35 thus allow-ing the pawl and the post 24 to pass the bar 20 without interfering with the action of the roller feed. As soon as the latch pawl 29 has passed the bar 20 on its upward stroke, the spring 35 immediately snaps back into the position shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3 the position of the pawl during the up stroke is illustrated.

Thus the disengagement of the rollers from the metal being fed is reduced to an absolute minimum and as a matter of fact the rollers are permitted to engage the metal just prior to and during the stamping operation. That is why piercings in the blank punch can be used for pick up and the pin can be long because the metal is held firmly by the roller feed during the separation of the pins. Because of the instant release of the bar 20 when the post 24 moves downwardly, there is no undue separation of the rollers and no danger of the roller gears separating. The device is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble and certainly easy to install. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post.

2. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said post mounting comprising a horizontal bar extending from said press ram, the free end of said bar being forked, the upper end of said post being threaded, said threaded end extending into said forked portion, and a pair of nuts threaded on said post above and below said forked bar to adjustably lock said post to said bar.

3. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said means being adapted to pivot out of engagement with the cross bar on the upward movement of said post.

4. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press mm for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said post mounting comprising a horizontal bar extending from said press ram, the free end of said bar being forked, the upper end of said post being threaded, said threaded end extending into said forked portion, and a pair of nuts threaded on said post above and below said forked bar to adjustably lock said post to said bar, said means being adapted to pivot out of engagement with the cross bar on the upward movement of said post.

5. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said means including a pivoted latch member resiliently retained in operative position under spring tension.

6. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical p-ost mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said post mounting comprising a horizontal bar extending from said press ram, the free end of said bar being forked, the upper end of said post being threaded, said threaded end extending into said forked portion, and a pair of nuts threaded on said post above and below said forked bar to adjustably lock said post to said bar, said means including a pivoted latch member resiliently retained in operative position under spring tension.

7. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said means being adapted to pivot out of engagement with the cross bar on the upward movement of said post, said means including a pivoted latch member resiliently retained in operative position under spring tension.

8. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said post mounting comprising a horizontal bar extending from said press ram, the free end of said bar being forked, the upper end of said post being threaded, Said threaded end extending into said forked portion, and a pair of nuts threaded on said post above and below said forked bar to adjustably lock said post to said bar, said means being adapted to pivot out of engagement with the cross bar on the upward movement of said post, said means including a pivoted latch member resiliently retained in operative position under spring tension.

9. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said means including a slot in said post, a latch member extending horizontally through said slot and pivotally mounted therein, one end of said latch member having a coil spring extending to said post to yieldingly retain said latch member in horizontal position, and said post having an extended slot portion to permit pivotal movement of said latch in one direction only.

10. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said post mounting comprising a horizontal bar extending from said press ram, the free end of said bar being forked, the upper end of said post being threaded, said threaded end extending into said forked portion, and a pair of nuts threaded on said post above and below said forked bar to adjustably lock said post to said bar, said means including a slot in said post, a latch member extending horizontally through said slot and pivotally mounted therein, one end of said latch member having a coil spring extending to said post to yieldingly retain said latch member in horizontal position, and said post having an extended slot portion to permit pivot-a1 movement of said latch in one direction only.

11. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said means being adapted to pivot out of engagement with the cross bar on the upward movement of said post, said means including a slot in said post, a latch member extending horizontally through said slot and pivotally mounted therein, one end of said latch member having a coil spring extending to said post to yieldingly retain said latch member in horizontal position, and said post having an extended slot portion to permit pivotal movement of said latch in one direction only.

12. In a stamping press having a vertically reciprocating ram and a roller feed mechanism in which an upper roller is pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced upwardly slanting lever arms joined by a cross bar, a trigger feed release comprising a vertical post mounted on the press ram for vertical reciprocation between the cross bar and the roller feed, and means on said post for engaging the cross bar during a portion of the downward stroke of the ram to lift the upper roller, said cross bar swinging out of engagement with said means on the continued downward movement of said post, said post mounting comprising a horizontal bar extending from said press ram, the free end of said bar being forked, the upper end of said post being threaded, said threaded end extending into said forked portion, and -a pair of nuts threaded on said post above and below said forked bar to adjustably lock said post to said bar, said means being adapted to pivot out of engagement with the cross bar on the upward movement of said post, said means including a slot in said post, a latch member extending horizontally through said slot and pivotally mounted therein, one end of said latch memher having a coil spring extending to said post to yieldingly retain said latch member in horizontal position, and said post having an extended slot portion to permit pivotal movement of said latch in one direction only.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,796,417 3/1931 Wittek 83261 1,947,015 2/1934 Littell 113-113 2,315,535 4/1943 McCann 113113 2,339,962 1/1944 St. Louis 83-261 3,003,447 10/1961 Gavazzi 113-113 3,138,128 6/1964 Suofy 72405 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. R. I. HERBST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A STAMPING PRESS HAVING A VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING RAM AND A ROLLER FEED MECHANISM IN WHICH AN UPPER ROLLER IS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON A PAIR OF SPACED UPWARDLY SLANTING LEVER ARMS JOINED BY A CROSS BAR, A TRIGGER FEED RELEASE COMPRISING A VERTICAL POST MOUNTED ON THE PRESS RAM FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATION BETWEEN THE CROSS BAR AND THE ROLLER FEED, AND MEANS ON SAID POST FOR ENGAGING THE CROSS BAR DURING A PORTION OF THE DOWNWARD STROKE OF THE RAM TO LIFT THE UPPER ROLLER, SAID CROSS BAR SWINGING OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MEANS ON THE CONTINUED DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID POST. 